Transcript Critical Criminology

Social Conflict and
Critical Criminology
SOC 112
Chapter 8
Marx
1.
Karl Marx, German heritage (1818-1883)
- most influential figures in world history
- writings impacted government policies
- changed course of world history
- impacted criminology
a. Political philosopher / social scientist
- Ph.D. in political studies
- writing for underground socialist papers
(1) Basic theme
Marx
- exposing misery of workers in Europe
- mid-1800s / industrial age
(a) Expulsion from Germany
- moved to Paris
- Friedrich Engels (German
businessman)
- accepted Marx’s theories
(b) Wrote “Communist Manifesto”
- published in 1848
Marx
- moved to London
- wrote “Das Kapital” (Capital)
(2) Major theme
- humans: inherently caring /cooperative
creatures
- small foraging societies
- share resources
- help in common goals
(a) Staking out private plots of land
Marx
- declared ownership
- change in human nature
- land: unevenly distributed
(3) Surplus goods produced
- certain classes: barely able to survive
- greed of others
(a) Industrial societies emerged
- two distinct classes developed
Marx
(b) Distinct classes
- one controlled means of production
- other did actual work
(4) Marx contended:
- wealth end up in hands of those who
controlled production
- workers would revolt
- establish cooperatives
- manage factories / share profits
Marx
(a) Revolt
- establish government bureaucracy
- enforce / oversee return to human
cooperation / sharing
- called this phase “communism”
(b) Resistance to changes in production
- would fade away
- “socialism” would then emerge
- humans return to original state
- minimal presence / interference
b. Notion developed:
- struggle between the social classes
- Marx used term ‘class’ = refer to people’s
degrees of access to wealth (capital)
- owners: stores / factories = bourgeoisie
- workers = proletariat
(1) Major impact
- theoretical / political perspectives
- associate works with socialism
(2) Significant impact
- thinking / policies of modern world
- associate works = communism
(a) Doctrine of:
- conditions for the liberation of the
proletariat
(b) All property owned
- privately / collectively
c. Beginnings
- born in Trier, Prussia (Germany)
- studied = Germany / London
(1) Belief:
- social structure of modern countries
- reflected social class conflict
- inevitable by-product of capitalism
(a) Capitalism
- economic system
- creates a class culture
(b) Benefits some members of society
- cost to others
- social class conflict = crime
(2) Marx and Friedrich Engels
- same beliefs
- worked together
(a) Argued = private ownership
- results in poverty of others
(b) Own means of production
- exploit those who do not
(c) Latter
- turn to crime = result of poverty
(3) Marx / Engels believed:
- capitalist system
- sole determinant of crime
(a) Causative element
- all facets of life
(b) Political / religious / social / ethical
/ psychological / material
(c) Only way to eliminate
- social revolution
(d) Eliminate social class
- eliminate conflict
- crime could be abolished
2.
Willem Bonger = Dutch heritage
- early Marxist criminologist
- studied = lives of primitive people
- influenced by altruism (social / helpful)
- living for good of others / without reward
a. Capitalist system
- people concentrate only on themselves
- leads to selfishness
(1) Capitalism breeds social irresponsibility
- leads to crime
(2) Economic system of capitalism
- climate of motivation
- criminal behavior
(3) Socialist system
- promote concern for all in society
- crime would be eliminated
b. Marxist criminology
- based on four concepts
(1) Crime is best understood
- viewing scarcity of resources
- inequality of distribution
(2) Crime = constitutes more than state
definition of crime
- unlawful to steal food from another
- does not look at why (hunger)
(3) State version of crime / other harms
- product of class struggle
- laws = made by rich / powerful
(4) Crime
- represents alienation of individuals
- by capitalist social structures and
institutions
- regulatory agencies
3.
Critical / radical criminology
- radical = part of critical criminology
- follow Marxist views of social class
- critical = context of skillful judgment / judging
with severity
a. Radical criminology
- radical = refers to origin / get to root of
- study of crime / criminals
- looks at economics (root of problem)
- radical theorists = change situations for
betterment of suppressed classes
(1) Critical criminology
- emerged following social turbulence
- shocked country in 1960s
- social conflict between groups
(a) Revolts / riots
- treatment of minorities
(b) Cultural revolution
- youth subculture
- Timothy Leary
(2) Discrimination / economic inequality
- causes of nation’s problems
(a) Crime occurs among pool classes
- police = agents of powerful
(b) Laws
- enacted to control lower classes
(3) Two basic elements
- common to all critical theorists
(a) Rely on economic explanations
- behavior of people
(b) Problem of crime
- cannot be solved
- within capitalist society
(4) Critical theorists believe:
- personal crimes
- not greatest threat to society
(a) Corporate, political, environmental
- greater threat
(5) Emphasis of critical criminology
- social / economic conditions
(a) Not characteristics of individual
criminal
(b) Draw upon Marxists beliefs
- analyze social relations / process
(6) Critical theorists believe:
- capitalism = economic system
- creates class structure
- benefits some members
- cost of others
(a) Class membership
- dictates how individuals relate
- both economically / politically
(b) Economic ownership
- related to political power